


Grey's Anatomy AU

by moor



Series: Smut Monday [12]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Grey's Anatomy AU, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-04 09:18:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11552196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moor/pseuds/moor
Summary: ItaSaku, KakaSaku. Grey's Anatomy-style AU.





	1. A little competitive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sariasprincy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sariasprincy/gifts).



Sakura knew she shouldn’t have suggested Tsunade take another Detox December after the last one, but ffs this was kind of petty for punishment, even for the Surgical Director.

 

“I think it’s a fine idea; I’d love to. I just don’t think it’s a good time,” said Sakura as she drew the scalpel down the torso of the ridiculously endowed woman under sedation. These could not be real. The lack of scars was just proof of a magnificent skill-level in plastic surgery. It was not her own insecurity rearing its ugly head  _ again  _ because of whom she was working with.

 

“I think it would be an excellent time. The shelter is always looking for extra hands,” said Kakashi from across from her as he dabbed at the next mark on the woman’s torso in preparation for the following incision. “And you know you get lonely over the holidays. You’d enjoy yourself helping out with the puppies.”

 

She knew she would. But that wasn’t why he was asking.

 

“I believe Sakura asked for extra shifts over the holidays; she will be unable to accompany you to the animal shelter,” said Itachi as he monitored the vitals before nodding at the nurse to bring over his own implements. “We are scheduled together while you are on call.”

 

The tension in the room inched up an increment as Sakura’s ex, Itachi, regarded her current beau, Kakashi.

 

She and Itachi had dated on and off, with spectacular chemistry, throughout their studies and residency. However, at the insistence of his family he had asked for a break; during which time one of the senior staff members, Kakashi, had invited Sakura out for a coffee and… they’d woken up together the next morning, and he’d given her a spare key six months later.

 

Things with Itachi had been intense and spontaneous and, admittedly, absolutely earth shattering between the sheets. Things with Kakashi had become sweetly devoted, considerate and blissful. And she had to confess she had enjoyed the gobsmacked look of shock on Itachi’s handsome face when he’d caught Kakashi nailing her over the couch from behind one evening during a strangely quiet set of night rounds.

 

Never do better than an Uchiha, her butt.

 

(Hmph. Literally.)

 

While her relationship with Kakashi was warm and wonderful, Itachi did not seem to have accepted that things were truly over between them. 

 

—As evidenced by the fact he had somehow  _ bribed  _ someone on the team to take their shift over the coveted holidays. Sure, the pay was double time and a half, but it was also a time for families. And especially when it came to Uchihas, family came first. Having no family of her own, and her relationship with Kakashi, also a family-less man, Sakura had offered to hold down the fort, granting the remaining surgical staff the option of going on call (paid), or taking vacation. 

 

Itachi sticking around while shunning his family was unheard of for an Uchiha.

 

So what on earth was he expecting, trying to weasel into the holidays with her while they were on duty?...

 

“You’re certain there was no mention on her chart of any previous surgeries,” said Sakura to Itachi as she clamped open the cut. Something was fishy about this procedure; she could have sworn she just saw some discoloured scar tissue…

 

“None,” said Itachi, confident.

 

“They aren’t real,” said Kakashi. “I prefer real ones, by the way. They’re so soft to cuddle with.”

 

Oh fuck, here they go, thought Sakura, closing her eyes a moment and taking a deep breath.

 

“A man of your years would have the experience to differentiate. However you would be incorrect in this case,” said Itachi, setting about his own incision by the woman’s left hip.

 

“They’re false. And a man of my years does have a great deal of experience to share, and guidance, patience and tenderness. A man of my experience doesn’t run from his responsibilities, either. He only takes on what he knows he can dedicate himself to, entirely,”

 

Counting to ten in her head, Sakura peeked at the monitors while Kakashi’s long, gentle hands opened the cut and gently shifted aside the vocal cords, allowing Sakura access to the thyroid where the first tumour was located.

 

“A man with priorities will take the time to set them in order to ensure his success,” said Itachi as a nurse clamped the edges of his incision open.

 

“Gentlemen, focus,” said Sakura as she noted the silky edge to Itachi’s words.

 

“People are priorities, too. Or did you forget to factor the human element into your success?”

 

“Long term planning is more successful than short term and allows for unfortunate and temporary deviations to cross paths. One can learn from mistakes,” said Itachi, his voice low and smooth.

 

“One moves on from mistakes, too,” added Kakashi. “To happier, more loving relationships. We’re expecting, did we tell you?”

 

“What?” Itachi’s smooth cutting faltered.

 

“We’re expecting lots of puppies in the near future. A litter of our own, and the shelter anticipates two coming over the holidays. So many little paws going pitter-patter,” said Kakashi gleefully. 

 

For her part, Sakura sighed. 

 

“Looks like they were fake,” she said, pointing with her scalpel. “Nurse, could you please update the chart?”

 

“... Huh?” asked the nurse, shaking herself from the ping-pong match that had been zipping back and forth between the combined hotness that was Itachi and Kakashi.

 

Sakura fought the urge to roll her eyes. 


	2. Miscalculation between the sheets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oops.... I thought you were...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dub-con

“Please tell me you changed the sheets,” yawned Sakura as she closed her eyes and cuddled up next to the warm back that faced her.

The on-call room was dark courtesy the black-out drapes and she had never been so grateful for the merciful darkness that enveloped her that morning when the four a.m. crash hit her. 

“Hn,” murmured the sleepy voice, turning on its side to wrap an arm around her and pull her closer. “Door locked?”

“Hn,” she said, her body already relaxing into sleep.

She felt a warm male hand take hers, lifting it to his lips for a quick kiss.

“Sleep.”

She was already out.

The beeper attached to her hip pocket vibrated noisily but Sakura ignored it.

The bed rocketing back and forth, slamming against the thinly insulated wall, drowned it out exceptionally well, and the muffled whine she tried to bury in the cotton-cased pillow suffered a similar fate.

Her toes curled as she felt the coil inside her tighten—

Her knuckles clenched, fingers tearing through the sheets as she gasped and took the lord’s name in wanton vain—

Then fireworks burst inside her as she heard his voice from the doorway—

“Hey, the nurses said you were napping in this room instead of the usual one for the Anesthetists’ because of a plumbing issue. I brought you some breakfast…”

“Kakashi?!” Sakura’s red, panting face looked up at her boyfriend in horror. 

Then she swung her head behind her so fast her neck cricked. 

“Itachi!?”

A flush on his pale face, his midnight silky hair a tussled mess around his strong shoulders, Itachi glanced up at Kakashi with an irritated smirk.

“Give us a moment,” he said smoothly, his aristocratic-fingered hands still gripping the flare of Sakura’s naked hips.

Instead of backing out, though, Kakashi’s visible eye narrowed on Itachi.

He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him softly.

“I think it’s time we had a talk,” said Kakashi in a measured tone.

Sakura swallowed.

Then Kakashi reached for his tie and loosened it…

 

 


	3. Take a chance on me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winds of change

**AN: This next part is written some time after the last chapter, at an indeterminate point in the future. Because I didn’t write this story linearly. Sorry!**

* * *

  
  
He looked down at the woman slamming her locker door beside his in the hospital staff changing room, startled.

 

Itachi knew Sakura had a temper, but it was rare for her to exhibit it at work. Well, before the shift had even started.

 

“Kakashi’s dogs get into the fridge this morning?” He remarked, attempting to lighten the mood and make a not-so-subtle dig at his rival for Sakura’s attention.

 

To his surprise her expression pinched and darkened before Sakura’s lips trembled and her shoulders began shaking. Itachi immediately realized something more serious was at play.

 

“Sakura,” he said, steering her to a corner where she’d have some privacy. “What happened?”

 

“Gone,” she said tightly, sniffling.

 

“What’s gone?” 

 

“‘kashi. I woke up this morning and he was gone,” she said, her voice breaking. “Him, the dogs…”

 

It took less than a second for Itachi to put the clues together before his brows dipped low. On instinct he wrapped his arms around Sakura before she grabbed hold of his scrub-shirt and buried her face in his chest.

 

“It doesn’t mean forever,” he murmured, stroking her back, her hair, as she wept and shuddered in his arms.

 

“E-everything’s g-gone,” she cried.

 

_ Damnit, Kakashi, _ thought Itachi with no little bitterness. After all they’d worked for, everything they had sacrificed, it was his past that ruined things all over again.

 

With murmured compassion Itachi rocked on his feet and let Sakura cry herself out.

 

They were cursed when it came to love, weren’t they, the three of them? Or perhaps it was Sakura who was the victim of this emotional foul play, she who always suffered so deeply.

 

She deserved none of it, of course. None of the mess he had made when they first broke up; certainly not the way he and Kakashi had treated her as they’d fought over her. Not after all she had given them, and how much she had supported them. 

 

Even if he had never given up the hope that they would someday reconcile, he hadn’t wanted it to be under conditions like this. 

 

Itachi’s resolve strengthened as he clutched Sakura closer, leaning down to kiss the roseate crown of her hair. 

 

… Not that he wouldn’t take full advantage of it.

 

He would see her through this. 

 

He would make her truly happy.

 

This time, nothing would come between them. 

 

Heaven help Kakashi if he should dare return and intrude again.

 

* * *

f

 

**Three months later**

 

Sakura lifted her head and stretched her back with a wince. The constant prone position of leaning over her patient for hours had, as always, left her with tight shoulders and lower back pain.

 

Her stomach chose that moment to growl and announce her condition to the surgical staff around her.

 

One young nurse smiled at her as others chuckled.

 

“Break?” she asked Sakura.

 

With a sigh, Sakura shook her head.

 

“We’ll be done soon, but thank you, Hitomi.”

 

Hitomi nodded and prepared to release the clamps.

 

Sakura’s stomach growled again, and the staff looked at her with a mix of concern and amusement.

 

“Missed breakfast?”

 

“Back to work,” Sakura ordered with a sigh.

 

* * *

 

 

It was as she exited the surgical theatre that Sakura smelled the most delicious scent of dumplings, steamed vegetables and seasoned meats that she realized how truly hungry she was.

 

She inhaled deeply before her stomach growled again, accompanied this time by true hunger pains.

 

She had, perhaps, not been taking as good care of herself as she should have since Kakashi left. It wasn’t that she meant to neglect herself. It was just that, without him there to prod her to take breaks, or to make her lunches ahead of time (he usually made them for both of them), or to shop for groceries, she… forgot. It was much easier to work uninterrupted when one didn’t have someone to worry about interrupting… or to remind her to eat. 

 

Or sleep.

 

“You ran late,” said a low, velvety voice from behind her.

 

“Itachi?” asked Sakura, turning around to find him leaning against the wall with a thermal lunch bag beside him.

 

He lifted it, and Sakura realized the aroma of delicious food was wafting from within.

 

With his other hand he lifted a thermos, likely of caffeinated tea.

 

“It’s… it’s your day off,” she said, brows furrowing.

 

“Ah,” he agreed.

 

She stared at him, confused, while he stepped away from the wall and nudged her towards the break room.

 

“You have time for a quick lunch,” he said.

 

“It’s… But…”

  
Her stomach growled again and Sakura was grateful that he didn’t turn around to chastise her. 

 

She was doubly grateful that the rest of the staff focused on their own affairs instead of turning to look at her shuffling behind Itachi to the break room. For once they were not gossiping about her behind her back.

 

She wasn’t sure, but she wondered if the hospital supervisor, Senju Tsunade, had had anything to do with that. It wasn’t common knowledge among the staff, but the higher ups knew that Kakashi was recalled to military duty. Whatever had been said to the staff, they had accepted it and left Sakura well enough alone. 

 

“You need to eat more regularly,” he said as Sakura sat down on the worn easy-chair in the corner by the window. It was always her favourite as it gave her a view of the surrounding lawns and playgrounds where the younger, fitter patients played when the weather was sunny.

 

She shrugged. “It’s been busy.”

 

He looked her over, handing her the lunch bag and thermos before lifting a table closer. He was so used to his own strength he missed the way Sakura blushed and turned away as the muscles of his arms, back and backside flexed.

 

“This will be easier,” he said unnecessarily, adjusting it so it was at the perfect distance for Sakura to rest her elbows on.

 

“Mmm,” agreed Sakura, already popping open the first container. The steam wafted free and tantalized her senses, black bean beef with broccoli. Another container held shrimp wontons. 

 

“Chinese?” she asked, her voice curious. “It looks fantastic. But you brought too much.”

 

“Take the rest home for supper.”

 

He sat down on the corner of a nearby love seat, hands palm-down on his knees before he leaned back, relaxing.

 

Sakura paused as she opened another container, the vegetables. She looked at him.

 

“You aren’t eating?”

 

“No.”

 

She reached for the third container, which contained a light broth soup. 

 

“Shouldn’t you take your own advice,” she said, pouring herself a cupful. 

 

Her eyes fluttered shut as she drank the soup, hot and faintly salty without being artificial-tasting. Had it been made from scratch?

 

When she opened her eyes she found Itachi regarding her, his expression soft and thoughtful.

 

“I am satisfied,” he said easily.

 

Uncomfortable, Sakura’s shoulders rose up as she sank down in her seat before shoving a too-large bite of beef and broccoli in her mouth. The gravy was savoury and the morsel of beef more succulent than it appeared, tender and seasoned to perfection.

 

She couldn’t help the small moan of happiness that escaped her.

 

The corners of Itachi’s mouth quirked up.

 

“When does your shift end?” he asked a few minutes later, after Sakura devoured much of the small feast.

 

“After seven,” she said after a moment. 

 

It was something they both knew he would have known from the work roster.

 

He was asking her, though.

 

“May I give you a ride home?”

 

Sakura hesitated as she pulled a strawberry out from the last container.

 

“No,” she said after a beat. “But thank you.”

 

He nodded.

 

Their shared moment of peaceful silence came to an end when Hitomi knocked on the door and entered, looking around before finding Sakura.

 

“Sorry, I kept everyone away as long as I could, but the Yamada surgery is due to start in less than ten minutes,” she said. She nodded at Itachi. “Doctor.”

 

Itachi nodded in return. 

 

Meanwhile, Sakura stood.

 

“Thank you, Hitomi. I’ll be right there.”

 

The young nurse nodded again before leaving.

 

As the door closed, Sakura looked at Itachi.

 

“So, she’s your mole?”

 

He raised a brow at Sakura’s thoughtful tone.

 

“She took a break partway through the surgery and called you, didn’t she?”

 

Itachi held Sakura’s gaze, but neither confirmed nor denied her accusations.

 

“She’s competent and keeps her head on straight during surgery. You could have chosen far worse,” said Sakura, closing the containers and arranging them back in the thermal bag.

 

“I will clean up here. You need to prepare for the surgery,” said Itachi, standing and joining Sakura at the table. “I’ll leave the rest in your locker for you to take home.”

 

He reached for the containers, his hand brushing hers.

 

Sakura refused to swallow or startle.

 

“I’ll see you later,” she said, walking away.

 

“Hn.”

 

She did not look over her shoulder as she closed the door behind her, but she exhaled a bit more deeply than usual, willing her pulse to calm.

 

* * *

 

 

**A month later**

 

Rubbing at her dry, bloodshot eyes, Sakura wrinkled her nose. Another yawn was coming, she knew it.

 

When she caught the fourth mistake on her paperwork within an hour, her shoulders slumped. Then tensed up again. Now she was making ridiculous typos. She rubbed at her aching temple, the caffeine-induced migraine pounding and hazing her vision.

 

Fine. She would… go home.

 

To her quiet condo. Where there was nothing but silence. Even when she put on Netflix, it was too quiet.

 

Not that Kakashi had made a lot of noise, but there was something comforting in having another person with you in your living space, sometimes. Even if they kept to themselves like Kakashi so often had. His dogs had been their lively family and always welcomed her and kept her company. She missed them terribly. It was nice not cleaning up pet hair all the time from her rugs and furniture at home.

 

But she detested being there on her own.

 

Gathering up her coat, she cursed him. He could have at least started a good fight before he left so she could hate him instead of missing him.

 

Resigning herself to another night in front of a bowl of cheap instant noodles, Sakura shut down her computer and slung her purse over her arm.

 

* * *

 

 

She didn’t even have instant noodles in her cupboard.

 

“Okay, this needs to stop, now,” she said to herself aloud, her face in her palms as her shoulders shook with anger. The anger was directed solely at herself this time.

 

“You are not pathetic. You are not dependent on another person. And missing someone is no reason not to take care of yourself,” she said to herself in a firm, strong voice.

 

“And if he is happy to walk away without a word, then so be it. You aren’t turning into a shell,” she said, grabbing the counter with both hands, so tight her knuckles turned white.

 

“You aren’t a shell. I am not a shell,” she said through clenched teeth.

 

Her stomach growled.

 

“I am not a shell, but I am hollow and stupidly hungry because I’m an idiot,” she admitted, chest puffing up with anger.

 

Then deflating as she shook her head, anger diffusing.

 

She picked up her purse again and headed for the door.

 

There was a twenty-four hour grocer not too far away. The walk would do her well.

 

* * *

 

 

Bonus side to the grocery store being open twenty four hours.

 

The all-hours liquor store right beside it.

 

This can only end well, her brain told her as, arms full, she stuffed the bullet of champagne inside her jacket after cinching the belt tight.

 

“So what if we look like a wino,” she muttered to herself as she carted her overflowing groceries back to her home. “Tonight, we celebrate. And then we sleep. And then we wake up early and go for a damn run because our ass looked flabby as Hell in the mirror this morning and we did not spend that many hours on the stairclimber to look like we let ourselves go—”

 

“Sakura?”

 

Her back snapping ramrod straight, Sakura turned and looked over her shoulder at the familiar voice.

 

“Itachi?”

 

He paused in the middle of opening the door to his snow white Maserati GranTurismo, brows furrowed.

 

“You’re shopping in the middle of the night?”

 

Remembering that she had a bullet of champagne sticking out of the collar of her coat, Sakura bit the inside of her cheek and realized she… probably did look a bit unhinged at that exact moment. And that talking to herself aloud probably hadn’t helped things.

 

“Uh, yeah. You too, huh?” she said, forcing a laugh.

 

“Would you like a ride,” he asked carefully.

 

“No! No, no, I’m fine. The walk is very relaxing,” she said as her shoulders strained to hold all her bags. Walking was just fine, yes, but standing there not moving left her struggling to keep it all from tumbling to the ground in a crashing heap. 

 

She stepped in the direction of her condo.

 

“Well, I’ll see you around. Have a good night!”

 

“Wait.”

 

Her feet froze to the pavement. Why did he always have that effect on her?

 

“Let me give you a drive home. I won’t stay if you don’t want me to,” he insisted.

 

“Ahhh, but you see, that’s a double-edged sword,” said Sakura, setting to walking again. “Because if I let you drive me home, you’ll insist on carrying part of my groceries to the door, and when you’re at my door, I’ll be honour bound to let you in and give you tea, and if I give you tea and you get too tired to drive home, you’ll…we’ll... ”

 

She blushed and refocused on the sidewalk ahead of her.

 

Still at his car, Itachi watched her go.

 

“I am a gentleman,” he said.

 

“Mmmm,” agreed Sakura, wishing he would drop the subject and go away. She marched determinedly in the direction of home, pretending to ignore him.

 

“... unless you don’t want me to be,” he teased, just loud enough for her to hear.

 

She ignored the burning of her cheeks, or the low chuckle Itachi gave as he closed the door to the GranTurismo and watched her walk away before heading into the grocery store.

 

Sakura also ignored the flare of heat low in her belly that kindled in remembrance of exactly what nights spent with Itachi were like.

 

It was best to get home quickly.  

 

* * *

 

 

Sakura was on her second glass when she heard the buzzer chime for her condo.

 

Her cheeks flushed. 

 

She had a feeling she knew who it was.

 

“Yes?” she asked, pressing the response.

 

“Making sure you made it in okay,” came Itachi’s voice over the intercom.

 

“You could have called,” she said, though she was smiling.

 

“Hn,” he said, and she could tell he was smiling, too.

 

“Go home, stalker,” she said, chuckling under her breath.

 

“Sleep well, Sakura.”

 

“Goodnight, Itachi,” she said, grinning.

 

The connection cut and Sakura found herself standing at the intercom by her front door an extra minute or so before shaking her head and returning to the couch and her movie… and her champagne.

 

Things were, perhaps, looking up.

 

* * *

 

 

**Two months later**

 

“Out?” asked Sakura, her phone resting on the plateau of her elliptical. She was pushing herself hard that evening in her condominium’s shared fitness gym. The usual rush of gym rats had left by the time she arrived after her shift and she had her choice of the cardio machines for once.

 

“Yes, out,” said Ino through the speakerphone. “It’s been six months. And you have your booty back. And your libido—”

 

Sakura snatched up the phone, flicking off the speakerphone before slamming it to her ear.

 

“Can’t talk freely,” she said quickly. “Public.”

 

“As I was saying, your libido is finally showing signs of resurrection, thank the gods, and I thought it was time for a girls night out. It’s Friday night, Sakura. We can do this. It doesn’t have to be wild. We can people-watch. And drink.”

 

“I’m not up for company,” said Sakura carefully, scanning the room. No one was paying her much attention, thank heavens.

 

“It doesn’t have to be like that. I’m saying get out and enjoy yourself,” said Ino. 

 

Sakura pulled the phone away from her ear and wiped it on her towel, frowning.

 

“When?”

 

“I’ll pick you up around nine thirty or ten, sound good?”

 

Sakura thought it over. She didn’t need to bring anyone home, like Ino said. It was getting out. And true, she had been rather restless recently. 

 

_ Stupid six months’ dry spell. _

 

“I may need to borrow a dress,” admitted Sakura. “I haven’t been shopping for fun clothes in a while.”

 

Ino’s piercing squeal nearly shattered Sakura’s ear drums.

 

“I’ve had your outfit planned for weeks! I’ll be there in fifteen minutes!”

 

“Wait, you said nine-thirty—”

 

But Ino had already ended the call.

 

Sakura looked at the clock on her phone screen and groaned. She had to hustle if she was going to shower before Ino arrived. She increased the incline and resistance on the elliptical and doubled her pace. 

 

* * *

 

 

“He’s staring,” said Ino, failing to hide her smile behind her daiquiri as she leaned close to Sakura’s ear.

 

“He’s probably wondering when I had time to rob Sephora,” quipped Sakura as she felt his eyes on her again.

 

“You look hot and he appreciates the effort you put in. He’s probably happy you’re out again, that’s all.”

 

Her glass needing a refill, Sakura was about to suggest she and Ino make their way to the bar again when she felt a warm, familiar hand on her lower back.

 

“You look very attractive this evening,” whispered Itachi, his lips brushing the shell of Sakura’s ear.

 

From the corner of her eye Sakura caught Ino’s smirk and encouraging wink before the blond turned away and disappeared among the other minglers at the bar.

 

Her attention turned back to Itachi as she looked over her shoulder, raking her eyes over him from his chin to his sensual lips, up the bridge of his nose to the fathomless depths of his eyes and back down to his lips again.

 

“Fancy meeting you here,” said Sakura, amusement clear in her voice. “And in the shirt I once told you was my favourite.”

 

“Hn. I seem to remember you once telling me you enjoyed undoing the buttons on it,” said Itachi, equally amused.

 

“Ino, perhaps, had something to do with you being here this evening?”

 

A small smile pulled at the corners of Itachi’s lips.

 

Sakura shook her head and looked around the room for Ino again. She found her after a heartbeat, with other friends they’d arrived with.

 

Knowing she was set up, Sakura turned around to look at Itachi, really look at him. For his part, Itachi left himself open to her perusal, relaxed.

 

“A second chance. Is that what you want?” asked Sakura, fingering the glass in her hand. She lifted it, gesturing vaguely. “Is that why you’ve been patiently waiting in the wings? Because you want to get one over on Kakashi now that he’s gone? I’m not a bone you two can fight over. I’m not playing that game.”

 

Itachi’s dark eyes softened as he stepped closer.

 

“It isn’t about him. It’s you.” He paused as Sakura’s focus turned to him in its entirety. “I would like a full relationship, Sakura. Not the bursts of stress relief stolen between surgery-induced frustration and pent-up emotion. I want the evenings before and the mornings after. Together,” he said. His smile was faint and gentle. “That’s all.”

 

“That’s all,” she repeated thoughtfully. “I don’t know. That sounds kind of…serious,” she said, more quietly, but confidently. Because she meant what she said. She wasn’t playing games anymore.

 

Remaining where he was, standing before her, Itachi waited. He did not deny her assumption, nor try to pass it off for less than it was. He meant it, then. 

 

And Sakura wondered at the perverse nature of their convoluted relationship, from the poker-hot attraction they’d started with to their whirlwind affair, through the fiery collapse after their misunderstanding, to her near-engagement with Kakashi… and now, after her heartbreak and emotional recovery from Kakashi’s abandonment, Itachi was back again and requesting a genuine relationship.

 

He would keep waiting for her, she realized now.

 

So… what was her answer?

* * *

 

 

**TBC?**

 


	4. The Forest House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The place where it all ended, and the place where it all began again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for supporting this update, @jarjarbinky! I hope you enjoyed it!

 

**From the last chapter:**

_ Itachi’s dark eyes softened as he stepped closer. _

_ “It isn’t about him. It’s you.” He paused as Sakura’s focus turned to him in its entirety. “I would like a full relationship, Sakura. Not the bursts of stress relief stolen between surgery-induced frustration and pent-up emotion. I want the evenings before and the mornings after. Together,” he said. His smile was faint and gentle. “That’s all.”  _

_ “That’s all,” she repeated thoughtfully. “I don’t know. That sounds kind of…serious,” she said, more quietly, but confidently. Because she meant what she said. She wasn’t playing games anymore.  _

_ Remaining where he was, standing before her, Itachi waited. He did not deny her assumption, nor try to pass it off for less than it was. He meant it, then.  _

_ And Sakura wondered at the perverse nature of their convoluted relationship, from the poker-hot attraction they’d started with to their whirlwind affair, through the fiery collapse after their misunderstanding, to her near-engagement with Kakashi… and now, after her heartbreak and emotional recovery from Kakashi’s abandonment, Itachi was back again and requesting a genuine relationship.  _

_ Itachi would keep waiting for her, she realized now.  _

_ So… what was her answer? _

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Itachi had been quietly, patiently courting Sakura for months. The meals. The support. The lack of expectation. He was still waiting for her permission to offer more; but in the meantime, he had been trying to provide for her without overstepping his bounds. Respecting her boundaries.

Sakura swallowed down the flutter of fear, of anticipation, of cruel hope, of yearning and longing and confusion that wasn’t confusion but rather an affirmation of all she had suspected.

“I think we should talk,” said Sakura, her voice returning to her.

“Here?” asked Itachi.

“No.” 

But where?

Hesitant to invite Itachi to her condo quite yet, Sakura considered their options. They needed privacy. They also needed a more neutral location and time, uninterrupted time, to be honest about everything they needed to discuss. Sakura checked place after place off on her mental list, drawing up blanks. They shared memories at so many places.

Sakura shook her head at Itachi’s question, still thinking.

“The forest house?” offered Itachi after a moment of watching emotions play across Sakura’s expressions one after another until they blended together. 

Sakura’s heart skipped a beat.

_ The forest house. _

Her lips opened to speak, her emotions conflicted. 

_ You’re brave _ , she whispered to herself inside.

“Okay.” She heard her lips forming the words before she realized she was saying them.

Itachi nodded, stepping closer to Sakura.

“Now,” added Sakura firmly. “We talk now.”

Itachi looked meaningfully at the glass in Sakura’s hand. “If you would prefer to wait until morning—”

The warmth in Sakura’s veins tingled faintly as adrenaline began to flow. No, she was not being put aside again. Between Kakashi and Itachi she had set too many things aside, caught up in the here-and-now instead of making plans for the future. But that time was over. She wasn’t wasting any more of her future on waiting. She was creating it.

“Something always comes up,” said Sakura, remembering how often their lives as surgeons were interrupted. “Our work. Family.” She set her glass down on a nearby table, looking for Ino. 

As expected, Ino had kept an eye on Sakura and Itachi, ready as ever to jump in and help her. Sakura relaxed, then waved goodbye to Ino. From her place with their friends, Ino raised her brows at Sakura in an  _ ‘are you sure?’  _ that was clear between them. With a reassuring smile, Sakura nodded, then shot Ino a saucy wink, which left Ino laughing. It all happened in seconds, but it was enough. Sakura made a mental note to thank Ino later for her meddling.

“You owe Ino, by the way,” said Sakura to Itachi as she turned back to him.

To her surprise, Itachi chuckled. “I do,” he agreed.

He took Sakura’s hand in his warm one, and smiled at her.

“We’re off,” he said, leading them to the exit.

_ To the forest house, _ thought Sakura, where it would all begin again.

***

In the pitch blackness of the night, the GranTurismo crunched to a controlled stop on the leafy forest floor outside the forest house and extinguished its lights. From the tall grasses and leafy canopy above them, the nightlife gradually began to peep and hoot and rustle once more in its own soft concert. The familiar refrain tightened Sakura’s throat. It had been so long since she had heard it.

Outside the pristine elegance of the Maserati, the forgotten forest trail they had driven petered away to a stone path, worn smooth through generations of use. Moss filled the cracks between the stones and covered the stone lantern sculptures that stood at attention like a timeless, venerable honour guard watching over them as they walked beneath the ancient torii gates. Itachi and Sakura knew the way, needing no light to guide them to the heavy doors of the forgotten temple. They reached for the ring on the door at the same time.

There was only the briefest hesitation as they caught each other’s eye before they both pulled, and the doors groaned open.

Inside, in the darker stillness, Sakura took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she stepped forward.

_ It’s the same, _ she thought with relief. She swallowed down the unconscious lump in her throat.

And yet, as Itachi moved to one of the built-in cupboards to gather matches, Sakura began to notice small changes as Itachi lit the lamps around the room. That wall had been cleaned. The leak in the ceiling had been patched. The floors had been swept and the squeakiest, rotten boards replaced. Curious, Sakura made her way further into the main building, off to the wing she and Itachi had used when they had ventured to the ‘forest house’ for privacy, years ago. It was technically found on Uchiha property, but abandoned generations ago. Itachi only knew of it from an old map he’d found in the Uchiha archives. It wasn’t even plotted on the modern maps. It was his secret place, one he had shared only with her, as far as she knew.

But someone had been there.

The little touches of care were evident, the further Sakura explored.

The windows had been washed, their sills polished. Sakura’s nose twitched as she finally caught the scent of restored varnish. The fresh, reedy smell of new tatami wafted around her, and she felt the spongy resistance beneath her feet. Sakura immediately shucked her shoes so as not to damage it.

What else had changed?

Her heart in her throat, Sakura hurried barefoot to the wall-cupboards. Beneath her fumbling palms, their once-stuck doors now slid easily to the side to reveal bins of crisp, laundered bedding and plush futons. The clean, pristine newness made her head spin. Dizzy, Sakura lowered herself to a crouch on her knees, bracing herself against the wooden frame of the wall-cupboards. In the darkness, her sense of familiarity was challenged by the new scents and feelings. She knew this place, and yet it was new to her all over again. Instead of being an abandoned convenience or illicit retreat, it was now a neatly maintained, well cared for treasure trove.

As Sakura’s senses categorized each new smell and texture, her fingers caught on a smooth indent in the wood. Tracing it, Sakura felt a symbol carved precisely into the renovated beam. Over and over in the quiet darkness Sakura’s fingertip traced the symbols carved into the well-sanded wood panels. The uchiwa symbol she recognized, but it was different than she remembered. Her brow furrowing, Sakura traced it one more time. Then she traced the exterior.

There was circle around the uchiwa.

Pressing her lips together, Sakura took a deep breath through her nose, closing her eyes.

What was old, damaged, neglected, and abandoned, Itachi had restored, repaired, and renewed. This place that had been most meaningful to each of them, he had saved every inch of.

Sakura was about to ask why when she felt the pressure building in her chest, and chanced a glance at the floor, where a single, worn futon used to lie.

The tatami was empty now, but the memory of that single night was burned into her memory forever. 

Until that one night, their trysts had been rushed. Behind closed doors, drunk on exhaustion or alcohol, bursts of adrenaline or frustration, rarely on a horizontal surface. Some may have called it being young and reckless, or bursts of passion, or scratching an itch. It was what it was, and neither had taken it seriously. It wasn’t a relationship, after all. They were just convenient.

They were professionals. They were intelligent. They knew what they were doing—or so they thought. They hadn’t cared, really, it hadn’t been meaningful. 

Until it was meaningful. Until they did care. And by then they were so far gone, too wrapped up in not-caring, to realize that the not-caring had become a façade that each hid behind, unwilling to risk dismantling it to reveal a deep-seated vulnerability that would unleash the truth of what truly was between them, which was fear and desire and more. Fear that there was so much more they relied on the other for, that there was so much more trust between them, that it was dangerously more than scratching an itch, and was instead  distressingly akin to two voices desperately wanting to speak and be heard—before being snatched away on the wind.

Until that one night.

That one night, that this temple was the only place, the only time, where Itachi had made love to Sakura.

It was the night Sakura had been sure Itachi was going to say he loved her. 

And here, now, he was taking the time to display that he had preserved every inch of that place, and tried to make it better.

Itachi hadn’t suggested the forest house by accident.

He wanted her to see this.

Sakura rested her head against the polished beam, listening as Itachi entered the room behind her. Quietly Itachi lit several lamps, giving the room a soft, intimate glow.

“The water house is safe to use now,” he said quietly.

Sakura smiled, huffing slightly.

“Finally beat out that family of tanuki?” she teased, referring to the family of raccoons that had been a constant nuisance during their time at the forest house in the past.

“We came to an understanding. They have their own shed now,” said Itachi.

Sakura nodded, turning around to sit cross-legged and watch Itachi.

With his hands loose at his sides, Itachi waited.

“You didn’t do this on a whim,” said Sakura. Her statement carried so much weight, meant so much more than just that single night. The on-going courting. The long-term restoration. The decision to invite her there, that night. Itachi had done all of it with intention.

Agreeing to their talk, Itachi approached, coming to sit across from Sakura on the tatami.

“You were never a whim, Sakura.”

Against her back, the Haruno circle and Uchiha uchiwa fan pressed into Sakura’s skin. Had Itachi carved them himself?

“I am afraid to ask how much this cost,” admitted Sakura.

Itachi let out a small breath.

“A small group of trusted friends assisted,” said Itachi. “The structure itself has always been sound.”

He did not provide an amount, but rather alluded to time, implying it was an investment, not an expense. It was definitely an Itachi-style answer, Sakura thought, thinking wistfully of their history together. Of the occasions they had lain in each other’s arms, relaxed and sated, and talked of all the things they would do, someday, to repair the forgotten temple. Instead of dreaming, however, Itachi’s pragmatic nature had gone ahead and begun mending, fixing and repairing. 

Sakura’s inner voice piped up that Itachi must have been quite confident in himself if he expected her to join him again, to have carved their combined clan symbols into the structural beams themselves.

“What if I said no?” asked Sakura, curious.

Itachi stilled.

“Air B&B,” he said, deadpan.

Sakura stared at him, wide-eyed, before bursting into laughter, releasing the tension that had been building inside her since she came across the lovingly detailed personal touches through the restored temple.

To her delight, Itachi chuckled quietly with her.

“Are you comfortable? We have cushions and futon,” said Itachi when Sakura calmed.

“We tend to get distracted when the futons hit the floor in here,” reminded Sakura.

“I’ll be good if you will,” said Itachi.

Inner Sakura applauded Itachi for his turnaround, while Sakura herself considered his words.    
She moved to the side and turned, reaching for the cupboard door.

“I’ll get the futon, if you wouldn’t mind pulling out the sheets?”

“Ah.”

“What is it you want, Itachi?” asked Sakura, as they positioned the futon on the tatami mat floor.

“That can be a simple answer or a detailed one.”

Itachi offered Sakura a corner of the quilted futon mat to stretch over the futon. Sakura accepted it and they set about making the futon up for sleep.

“Short term and long term, then,” said Sakura. They pulled fitted cotton sheets taut over the futon next, two of them, to ensure a soft, breathable layer between the futon and their skin. Sakura swallowed, remembering the taste of Itachi’s skin beneath her tongue. She mentally shook herself. 

“I would like to apologize for my part in our break up, in the past. And I would like a permanent place in your future,” said Itachi.

Sakura’s jaw clenched. The past. The past had not ended well.

“You get the future simply by working together. You didn’t need to do all this,” reminded Sakura. “Thank you for apologizing for the past,” she added after a moment, hurt and guilt and shame mingling inside her stomach like ugly, twisting, slippery eels. “I was very angry, and I treated you poorly in front of others. It got in the way of being professional, which hurt us both. I’m sorry,” admitted Sakura, looking up at Itachi to find him quietly watching her, his eyes open and remorseful. Their hands stilled.

Sakura swallowed.

“I am sorry, too,” said Itachi quietly. “I…”

His voice faltered. He cleared his throat, wetting his lips.

“I used actions where I should have used words, in an effort to control the situation and outcome without risking my own vulnerability.”

“Cowardice,” said Sakura. The word tasted bitter.

When Itachi nodded, Sakura felt a measure of surprise.

“Yes,” he admitted. “I was afraid to speak the words. I was more afraid of what might not be than I was of losing what I had. It did not occur to me how selfish and hurtful that was.”

“You said your family would never accept me, and that we should be happy with what we had,” reminded Sakura.

They lay the blankets and covers on the futon, and when that was complete Itachi pulled several pillows and shams from the wall-cupboards. Together they filled them and unconsciously each went to ‘their’ side of the futon to sit them where they liked them.

“I was wrong,” said Itachi. “And it isn’t for them to decide who I share my life with.”

“Not who you work with, anyway,” said Sakura.

Itachi paused in his pillow-fluffing.

“You asked me what I wanted,” he said, his hand resting on his pillow.

Kneeling on the futon, Sakura looked up and over at Itachi in the candle-lit room. 

“This,” he said. “I want this. I want to know what you want, in every way. I want a home with you. I want to help you reach your goals. I want us to make plans together.” Itachi took a break from making the futon, reaching for Sakura’s hand. “I want to be able to tell you what I fear without feeling like you will judge me for it and see it as a weakness. I want to be able to tell you what I want and have your honest reaction and answer, not some placating excuse that you think is just what I want to hear. I don’t want you to always be polite, as if we’re colleagues. I want you to tell me what you want, when you want it. I want you to focus on me and see  _ me  _ when you look at me.”

Sakura’s heart beat faster in her chest as Itachi squeezed her hand, sending warmth coursing through her veins and pooling in her lower belly.

“Sakura, I want a wedding. I want a honeymoon. I want stability. I want children, in time.”

His gentle, long-fingered hand reached up to cup her warm cheek.

“I want it all with you.”

Itachi held Sakura’s gaze in his intent one, his fingers stroking her face and throat, where her breath caught when he whispered the words he had been too afraid to say, before:

“I love you, Sakura.”

***

The water house renovation was one of Sakura’s favourite.

The hot spring bubbled up from between the hot rocks, steam rising from its placid surface as the peeping frogs and chirping insects continued to serenade Itachi and Sakura from outside.

Inside, the candlelight reflected off the gentle ripples that had begun to spread across the surface.

Sakura’s soft gasp was the only sound to break the otherwise neutral silence.

Her fingers gripped the edge of the bathing pool as Itachi leaned over her from behind. Their naked skin pressed together slickly as their damp hair fell over their faces, Itachi’s hair being so long it fell over Sakura’s soft shoulders. 

And for the second time, Itachi made love to Sakura.

Holding Sakura’s leg up over his side, Itachi pumped his hips sinuously, slowly, powerfully into Sakura. His other hand stroked her clit between two fingers, occasionally squeezing or pressing on it to guide her towards her peak before cupping and caressing her back down again before she let herself go.

And the things he whispered in her ear as he moved set her imagination and blood on fire.

“Please,” she begged. “Just once, please let me come once.”

“Not yet,” he whispered, kissing her temple and pumping into her all the while.

Sakura felt every inch of him inside her and wondered again at how unfair it was that his cock was made to fit her so precisely and that every time he moved he felt her trembling and squeezing around him.

“Itachi,” she breathed. “Itachi, Itachi, Itachi…”

“Almost there,” he promised, the liar, and started building her up again for the fourth time.

Sakura almost cried from the emotions and feelings that surged in her.

“What do you want from me,” she cried softly as he pressed kisses down her throat. Yet he demanded nothing. He kissed her racing pulse, praised her with his nuzzling trail behind her ear, and whispered nothing but encouragement to her. “Itachi, please, I can’t keep going, it’s too much.”

Itachi’s relentlessly patient tempo continued unabated for another heartbeat before he kissed Sakura’s cheek and said, “Do you trust me?”

Butterflies erupted in Sakura’s stomach.

Did she?

“Yes,” she admitted.

“Let go of the wall.”

“What do I hold onto?”

“Me.”

Releasing Sakura’s leg, Itachi reached for Sakura’s hand, trailing his fingers down her arm to her wrist, then back up again as he guided her hand to the back of his neck. The movement arched Sakura’s back and changed the angle of their intimate connection, stretching Sakura and leaving her gasping and her core clutching at his thick length deep inside her. Stars began to erupt behind her eyes.

“That’s it,” he praised, and began thrusting into Sakura’s core again, this time more determinedly. “Now your other hand is free for whatever you’d like.” 

His free hand move to hold her to his chest more firmly; Sakura’s soon joined his there, where she knotted their fingers together.

Sakura heard Itachi’s quick intake of breath when she squeezed his hand.

“Is… is this it?” she asked, bracing herself half in anticipation, half in fear that the magic may soon end.

“Is it?” asked Itachi, a hint of rare vulnerability in his voice. He leaned forward to rest his head atop Sakura’s “I don’t want this to be it, Sakura. I miss you.”

Swallowing, Sakura closed her eyes and let herself feel. Itachi’s arms around her. Itachi’s cock filling her deep inside. Itachi’s voice in her ears. His lips against her throat. HIs promise of a future together.

An official future.

Itachi’s faint sigh, his possessive grip around her, turned more deliberate.

“So be it,” he said, his voice husky. “I’ll drag it out of you.”

Then he stretched Sakura backward a little bit more, leaving her entirely exposed as his fingers stroked her clit in a steady, building rhythm. The changes were small but powerful, and Sakura felt herself rushing faster and faster towards the edge.  _ Closer, closer— _

“Say it.”

She distantly heard Itachi’s tight words through his clenched teeth as he fingered her deftly between her legs. “Say it, Sakura. Just say it once.”

“Itachi,” she gasped, the coil inside her so tight her knees began to shake.

“Say it,” he gasped, his touch remaining firm, gentle and controlled even as Sakura began to tremble from head to toe.

“Itachi!”

“Tell me!” begged Itachi, his fingers sinking into Sakura’s flesh so deep she knew she would bruise. But his words suddenly made sense to her.

Just as Sakura crested her peak, her voice broke as she confessed, “I love you, Itachi—”

“Sakura,” gasped Itachi as his control snapped. With that he pumped harshly into Sakura several more times, emptying himself inside her, before his shaky, heavy breathing gave him away and he slowly slid to his knees in the deep water. “Fuck,” he moaned under his breath, but Sakura heard it, and the dark need underlying the simple words made her clench around Itachi’s proud, softening cock tightly one last time, leaving him hissing with sensation.

It was only when Sakura felt Itachi drop his head to her shoulder that she realized he was shaking, too.

“I love you,” she repeated quietly, squeezing his hand. She turned her head around to kiss his temple as he rested against her shoulder.

Still shuddering against her, Itachi panted into Sakura’s skin and wrapped his arms around her.

“Stay,” he breathed. “Here. Tonight.”

Sakura opened her mouth to argue they could talk more tomorrow, but Itachi gave her another quick squeeze.

“Please,” he said softly. 

The vulnerability in Itachi’s voice pulled at Sakura and she understood that them sleeping together under the protection of the temple meant a great deal to him. 

_ “I want the evenings before and the mornings after. Together.” _

That’s what Itachi had said, Sakura remembered.

This wasn’t a one-night deal with Itachi.

It was his equivalent to a proposal.

***

“Not… yet…”

Sakura’s eyes danced with mirth as she felt Itachi’s fingers dig into her hair gently but firmly.

Between his knees she held his gaze and sucked harder, running the tip of her tongue along the slit of his beautiful cock’s bulbous, swollen tip.

“Please, please stop,” begged Itachi shamelessly. “I don’t want to waste any of it.”

Sakura arched a brow at his childish words, but relaxed her hold on Itachi’s sac, taking to stroking his long cock more gently with her lips before finally releasing him with a lick and a kiss.

“That was better than I remembered,” Itachi admitted with a shallow pant, leaning down to kiss Sakura. “Thank you.”

It was early morning in the temple, before the sun had risen. Used to rising early, Sakura had stirred when the birdsong had welcomed the morning to the rest of the forest. It had also meant she took notice of Itachi’s state of need, and decided to do something about it and wake him in one of his favourite ways.

He then returned the favour, with interest.

With Sakura’s legs over his shoulders, Itachi pressed his mouth to Sakura’s labia and feasted until Sakura begged for mercy, shaking and breathless. His dark eyes drank her in as he swallowed her every expression, memorizing her new tells and making use of their history of creativity to elicit increasingly desperate pleas until she shouted something that would have set his ears burning, had that not been his very exact intention.

“Fuck, Itachi, get on your back so I can ride your cock,” gasped Sakura at one point, perhaps after her third orgasm as she panted on her back. Itachi, meanwhile, smirked down at her from his side as he licked his thumb before slipping it between Sakura’s legs and watching the muscles of her stomach clench in need.

“I’m still hungry,” he said, pressing a finger inside Sakura, then another. He studied her face for her reaction as she clamped her legs around his hand, then relaxed them open wider in invitation. 

Who was she kidding, she was desperate for his touch.

“Itachi,” said Sakura, spreading her legs wider and looking at him meaningfully. “I want your delicious, handsome and thick cock to be at attention in the next three seconds.”

Itachi inserted another finger inside Sakura, scissoring her open while teasing her clit. He traced it with his thumb, gauging its plumpness and size. Teasing Sakura, he held her gaze and did it again, slowly, pressing firmly just around it before skimming his thumb directly over it and pressing down, watching her swallow.

“I think it needs a few more passes,” he said.

“How many?” asked Sakura, angling her hips to receive his fingers better.

“Five,” promised Itachi, leaning closer to Sakura and aligning them so her breasts touched his chest. With his free hand, he began tracing circles, smaller and smaller, around her nipples.

“Five,” counted down Sakura as Itachi retracted, then inserted one finger inside her. He traced her clit lightly.

“Four,” said Itachi, watching Sakura’s breath hitch as he skimmed his hand between her lower lips in a deliberate tease to spread her slick and insert another finger.

“Three,” said Sakura. Itachi’s finger brushed the tip of her hardening nipple just as he slid another finger inside her. She adjusted her hips again, relaxing them open as he stroked her deep inside. Her mouth fell open as her chest rose and fell. She needed him so badly.

“Two,” said Itachi, inserting the last free finger and starting a steady pace to finger-fuck Sakura. He continued strumming her clit as she tried to hold out against him.

Sakura thought she was holding out quite admirably, until she counted, “One”.

Which was when Itachi pinched her clit and nipple simultaneously as he finger-fucked her, sending her over the edge in the blink of an eye.

She came hard with a shout, her vision going white, even as Itachi continued to fuck her with his hand, hard.

“Yes, yes, yes,” whimpered Sakura. “Fuck, yes, please,” she begged, insentiate.

So Itachi did, until he felt Sakura’s core sucking his hands in even more greedily.

Which was perfect timing, as he was nearly in pain from his primed erection.

“Fuck me now,” he demanded, pulling Sakura up onto him. Using the slick from his hands he grabbed himself, spreading it over the handsome girth of his cock.

“Your fault,” Sakura gasped, shoving Itachi’s shoulders down as she spread her knees on either side of his hips. She would have been embarrassed about dripping down onto him as she took his hand and lined him up, but they were too far gone.

Itachi slid home inside Sakura’s grasping core smoothly, and within seconds Sakura set a punishing pace, bearing down on Itachi and squeezing him hard in deliberate strokes.

She ignored his grunted demands to slow down, because damnit, his grip on her hips was what she was going by, and it told her to keep going or die trying.

Then Itachi played dirty by canting his hips in a way that sent Sakura’s blood rushing through her in a torrent of pure need, and she fucked Itachi raw, straight into the futon.

“Kami Itachi, you feel too good,” she gasped at one point, using Itachi’s shoulders to bear down on him more thoroughly to reach justthatspot _._

She couldn’t make out what Itachi said, it was all guttural male grunting and visceral oaths that were blunt and told her he had no problem at all with how she proceeded.

When they finally came, Sakura sank her teeth into Itachi’s shoulder. She couldn’t help it, it was the only way to get out all the pent-up sex that had been building inside her. 

If the way Itachi bucked up into her, flipped her over and pounded her into the futon with bruising force was anything to go by, he hadn’t minded at all.

“Fucking take it all,” he’d grunted, pumping into her as he shuddered, three times, four times, five times before straining hard, almost in pain. With a sharp exhale, his shoulders dropped and he fell to the side, barely missing Sakura as he slumped to the futon with a shaky breath.

Then he pulled Sakura to his chest and held her close.

“Are… are you okay?” he asked after a quiet minute or so, taking deep breaths.

“Mmmm,” purred Sakura, perfectly sated. “Very much okay.”

Itachi gave a tired laugh.

It made Sakura smile.

“The evening before and the morning after,” said Sakura, resting her head on Itachi’s chest. She played with the end of his long hair. She couldn’t stop smiling.

“Ah,” he agreed, closing his eyes as he lay his head back and cuddled Sakura. 

When Sakura looked up at him, his smile was serene.

While a bit sore, Sakura had to admit it was nice to have such a satisfying cock between her legs again.

“You’re still inside me,” she said, faintly amused.

“It’s my happy place,” said Itachi.

Sakura laughed, then felt Itachi’s cock stirring inside her once more.

“Very happy,” added Itachi.

The rest of the day passed in mutually agreeable ways. And positions.

***

When Itachi dropped Sakura off at her condo that night, they said goodbye for a long, drawn out minute in the hallway outside Sakura’s door.

“I could run you a bath,” offered Itachi. His hand reached up the back of Sakura’s dress, playing with her zipper. His other hand stroked her between her legs, already warming her from the inside.

“You’re on call tomorrow and we both need a day to rest and recover. Neither of us got much sleep,” said Sakura quietly. Sometimes voices carried in the hallway.

“I’ll call you in the morning,” promised Itachi. His smile softened. “There’s much to plan.”

“Yes,” agreed Sakura, releasing the front of Itachi’s pants where she’d been cradling and fondling him through the material. “But there’s no rush. We have time.”

“I want you to be mine officially, Mrs. Uchiha,” said Itachi. The possessive light in his eyes sparked as he spoke his favourite new nickname for Sakura.

“Get some sleep,” said Sakura, patting him fondly.

“I love you,” said Itachi, giving Sakura a last kiss, her clit a last, slow stroke. He withdrew his hand gently. His eyes promised much more to come.

“I love you,” said Sakura, watching him walk away.

Itachi waved to Sakura from the elevator, and she smiled at him, her heart full.

Sakura dug around in her purse and pulled out her phone and keys. She quickly pulled up Ino’s contact as she opened her door, stepping inside.

“You’ll never believe what happened last night,” she texted Ino, even as the familiar-and-unfamiliar smell in her apartment wafted to her nose.

“What happened? I’ve been dying. Details!” replied Ino right away.

Sakura closed the door behind her, distracted by Ino’s text. She dropped her purse on the table by the entrance and kicked her shoes off under it, still giddy.

The smell got stronger the further Sakura got into her apartment. Wrinkling her nose, Sakura went to open a window.  Then she paused as she heard something.

There was movement to her left.

There was someone in her apartment.

She heard a rustling noise, then felt a warm, furry body brush up against her legs.

Sakura yelped before she grabbed at a lamp.

“He was just coming to say hello... He’s excited to see you,” rasped Kakashi.

As the room lit up from the small lamp, Sakura just barely made out the bags under Kakashi’s eyes, the overgrown, now shaggy silver hair, and the stubble peeking through his mask before he collapsed at her feet. Pakkun quickly raced from Sakura back to Kakashi to whimper at him.

_“Ta...daima_ ,” Kakashi coughed.

  
  


**TBC?**


End file.
